Gauging apparatus for grinding machines and the like



Allan 1953 F. w. BLANCHETTE 2,647,347

GAUGING APPARATUS FOR GRINDING mAcnmEsmn THE LIKE Filed Feb. 15, 1951 Patented Aug. 4, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENTVOFFICEY GAUGING APPARATUS FOR GRINDING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Frank W,. Blanchette, Montclair, N. J.

Application February 15, 1951, Serial No. 211,135

14 Claims. (01. spies) This invention relates to grinding machines and the like and more particularly to the gauging of the size of the part which is machined.

One object of the invention is the provision of a grinding machine having an air gauging device which cooperates with the grinding surface of the grinding wheel and which is so arranged as to permit compensation for grinding wheel wear in controlling the size of the part operated upon.

Another object is the provision of a grinding machine of the character mentioned having an adjustable slide forming the support of a cooperating wheel, the nozzle of the air gauge being carried on the slide for movement therewith.

Another object is the provision of a centerless grinding machine having a grinding wheel and a slide supported regulating wheel, the slide also supporting th holder on which the gauging nozzle is located so that the end of the nozzle cooperates with the grinding wheel, with means automatically controlled by the air gauging system to maintain a definite predetermined size of the part ground.

Another object resides in the method of controlling a grinding machine in which the work is ground between the grinding wheel and a regulating wheel and in which an air gauging nozzle cooperating with the surface of the grinding wheel is employed in gauging the size of the part. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent, from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawing, in which, v

Fig.1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of a grinding machine embodying the present in- Ivention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the grinding machine; and

Fig. 3 is a, diagrammatic illustration of the electrical circuits.

' Referring more particularly to the drawing in which the same reference numerals are applied tration, the work 12 is groundor finished in a centerless grinder between the grinding wheel and a regulating-wheel H which is rotatably mounted on a slide orcarriageid slidableon guideways 15 towards and from the grinding wheel. The Wheels may be of cylindrical form .or, if the work is to be finished with a curved or angular surface or surfaces as in the .caseof thread grinding, the wheels are surfaced or formed to produce the desired shape on the part ground. The regulating wheel may lee-driven in any conventional manner employed in centerless grinders. H The slide i4 is adjustable by means'of anadjusting screw Hi operated by an electric motor I! contained in the motor housing [8 so that the position of the regulating wheel [3 with respect to the grinding wheel may be such as to give the desired diameter to the part being ground. It will be understood that reference herein to the term grinding also includes lap,- ping or other abrasive finishing.

As is usual in centerless grinders, the work is supported so it is substantially in the plane containing the axis of the grinding and regulating wheels. This support l9, as shown, is carried directly on theframe II. Thesupport has an opening 20 the purpose of ,which will be later referred to.

A holder 22 is adjustably mounted on the slide M for movement towards and from the grinding wheel. This holder, as shown, has an elongated passage '23 and is held firmly in place by a screw 24 extending-down through-this passage and threaded in the slide l4. When the screw is loosened, the holder 22 can be I ing the grinding whe'elbut spaced therefrom.

The body member 3| may be of substantially cylindrical form, clamped adjustably on the holder 22 by means of the split clamp ring 34 so that the position of the body member on the holder can be adjusted towards and from the axis of the grinding wheel. The passage 32 is supplied with air under pressure from a conduit 36. Air is supplied under pressure. rom

the factory air line, for example, to a pr. regulator 31 through an adjustable flow restrictmeans for supplying air under regulated pressure to said body passage, said means for supplying 'air including a connection means to said-body passage; and means operatively connected to said connection means and responsive to air flow through said orifice for indicating an 'increase in the space "between the-orifice and the grinding wheel beyond a predetermined limit.

2. A grinding machine comprising a grinding wheel, a regulating wheel, a support for said grinding wheel, a slide mounted on said support and mounting said regulating wheel for movement towards the grinding wheel, a body carried by said slide, said body having a passage terminating in a fluid leakage orifice facing the operating surface of the grinding wheel in such closely spaced relation therewith that the grinding wheel directly controls the flow of air ing a flow restricting means between the body passage and the fluid supplying means, a pressure responsive switch connected between the orifice and the flow restricting means, and indicating means controlled by said switch.

3. A grinding machine comprising a grinding wheel. a regulating wheel, a support for said grinding wheel, a slide mounted on said support and mounting said regulating wheel for movement towards the grinding wheel, a body carried by said slide, said body having a passage terminating in a fluid leakage'orifice facing the operating surface of the grinding wheel in such closely spaced relation therewith that the grinding wheel directly controls the flow of air through the orifice and at a point below the normal zone of engagement of the grinding wheel with the work, means for supplying fluid under regulated pressure, a connection including a flow restricting means between the body passage and the fluid supplying means, a pressure responsive switch connected between the orifice and the flow restricting means, and means controlled by said switch for automatically shifting said slide to maintain a predetermined spacing between the orifice and the grinding wheel.

4. In a grinding machine having a grinding wheel, a second wheel spaced from the grinding wheel and adapted for cooperation therewith to engage opposite sides of the work to be ground, a slide supporting said second wheel, gauging means comprising a body having a passage terminating in an orifice, means for supporting said body on said slide so that the orifice faces the operating surface of the grinding wheel in such closely spaced relation therewith that the grinding wheel directly controls the flow of air through the orifice at a point below the level of the grinding wheel axis, means for supplying fluid under regulated pressure, a connection between said fluid supplying means and the body passage, pressure responsive means connected to the body passage and means controlled by said pressure responsive means for indicating a change in the space between the orifice and the grinding wheel.

5. In a grinding machine having a grinding wheel, a second wheel spaced from the grinding wheel and adapted for cooperation therewith to engage opposite sides of the work to be ground, a slide supporting said second wheel, gauging means comprising a body having a passage terminating in an orifice, means for supporting said body on said slide so that the orifice faces the operating surface of the grinding wheel in such closely'spaced relation therewiththat the grindmeans controlled by said pressure responsive means for automatically controlling the posi- -tion of said second wheel with respect to the grinding wheel.

6. A grinding machine comprising a grinding wheel, a support for said grinding wheel, an ad- 'J'ustable' slide on said support, work positioning means on said slide for supporting a workpiece for contact with the grinding wheel at a grinding zone, an air gauging means on said slide,

said-air gauging means including a body having a passage terminating in .a fluid leakage orifice facing the operating surface of the grinding wheelin such closely spaced relation therewith that the flow of air through the orifice is directly controlled .by the grinding surface of the grinding wheel;

7. The method of controlling a grinding machine having a grinding wheel and an adjustable cooperating wheel which controls the parts position, which method comprises gauging the wear of the grinding wheel by controllin air fiow directly by the surface of the grinding wheel when the grinding wheel is operating at a normal grinding speed, and adjusting the position of the cooperating wheel in accordance with the results of the gauging operation to maintain a required size of the parts ground.

-8. The" method of controlling a grinding machine having a grinding wheel and a cooperating regulating wheel which comprises supplying coolant liquid onto the. work, and at a point below the work gaugingthe wear of the grinding wheel by controlling air flow directly by the wet surface of the grinding wheel when the grinding wheel is operating at a normal grinding speed and controlling the position of the regulating wheel in accordance with the results of the gauging operation.

9. The method of controlling a grinding machine having a grinding wheel and a work positioning means which comprises supplying coolant liquid onto the work from above, and at a point below the work gauging the wear of the grinding wheel by controlling the flow of air from an air orifice directly by the wet surface of the grinding wheel when the grinding wheel is operating at a normal grinding speed and concurrently and equally positioning the work positioning means and the air orifice in accordance with the results of the gauging operation.

10. A grinding machine comprising a grinding wheel, a support for said grinding wheel, a slide on said support, work positioning means on said slide for supporting a workpiece for contact with the grinding wheel at a grinding zone, means for supplying coolant liquid onto the workpiece from above, and an air gauging means on said slide, said air gauging means including a body having a passage terminating in a fluid leakage orifice facing the operating surface of the grinding wheel below the grinding zone in such closely spaced relation therewith that the flow of air to the orifice is directly controlled by the wet surface of the grinding wheel.

11. A grinding machine comprising a grinding ,7 wheel having a peripheral grinding surface. :a first support for said grinding wheel, as second support, work positioning means on said second support for supporting a workpiece ior contact with the grinding wheelat-a .grindingtzone, means for supplying a coolant lliquid -onto said work'- piece from above, an air gauging means on :said second sup'port, said air gauging :means including a body havinga rpassa'ge terminating in :a fluid leakage orifice facing :the operating surface of the grinding wheel -in such closely spaced ;r.els.- --tionshiptherewiththatthe flow of the-air through the orifice is directly controlled by the gr-ind- "ing surface 'of the grinding wheel, the fluid leakage orifice iecing the grinding wheel :below the grinding .zone, and means iior relatively Minst- -ing the first and second --supports in accordance with the results of the gauging operatien.

12. A grinding machine comprising agrinding wheel, a support for said grinding wheel, unwedjustable slide on said support, work positioning means on said slide for supporting a workpiece :for =eontact with thelgrinding --wheel at a-grindmg wzone, an air gauging fmea-ns onsaidslidemesms supportingsaid aimga'uging means in adjustabh fixed positions on said slide, said an gouging means including a. body having :a massage terminating in a fluid Ileakage orifice rfacing the -operating surface 0f the grinding wheel in :such

closely spaced-relation therewith that the flow of eirthroughthe orifice is directly controlled by the grinding surface of the grinding wheel.

13. :A grinding machine comprising a grinding wheel, a support ior-said-grinding wheeLra slide on said support, work {positioning :means carried -by said-sli'devfor arranging \the workato contact the grinding wheel atiazgrinding .zone, saidslide being adjustable .f or movement :towards 213116 rinding wheel, a body-carriedhy'said slide, *said .body having =.a passage terminating in a fluid leakage orifice facing the operating surface of :the grinding wheel in such closely :spaced :relation atherewith that the grinding wheelrdirectly controls the flow of eirthrough-the orifice means for supplying fluid under regulated pressure, :a

connection including .:a flow restricting means between the bodyhassage and the finid'supplying means, .a pressure responsive switch connected between the orifice and the :flow restricting means, :and ran indicating means :oontrolled' day said switch.

14. A grinding machine comprising a grinding wheel, a support said grinding wheel, a :slitle am said support, work positioning means harried ;by.said slide'for arranging 'thework to Contact the grinding wheel :at a grinding .zone, said slide being adjustable fm'zmm'ementtoward ithe grinding wheel, a body carried by said slide, said body Ina-ring a passage tennineting in :a fluid ileakage sonifice :facingtthe (operatin surface of ithe :grinding wheel dn such closely rspaced relation therewith that 'the grinding wheel :directly controls ithe iiow of :air through fthe orifice, .andnt a point :below the fnormal zone of engagement =;0f :the grinding wheel with the work, means :for supplyung fluid under regulated pressure, the :connection including a flow restricting means between :the body passage :and the fluid supplying means, -a pressure responsive switch connected between the orifice :and the flow restricting means, and means controlled by said switch :for automati- 'callyrshiiting said slide to maintain a predetermined spacing between rthesorifice :and thegrimtling wheel.

References Cited in the file 10f this ,-patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

